Royal Mandarin in National City never disappoints when it comes to their famous salt and pepper…read morechicken wings. The wings were crispy, flavorful, and easily the highlight of the meal. I don't make it to this area often, but when I'm craving great wings, this spot is always worth the trip. We also ordered the noodles with shrimp, but they were a bit disappointing. There were only about four shrimp in the entire dish, and since we split it, I ended up with just two. I was definitely hoping for more of a shrimp fix. If you're coming here, my recommendation is simple: stick with the salt and pepper chicken wings.

Came to try the viral salt and pepper chicken wings…read more Came for lunch and got the egg drop soup and it was yummy. Got the bbq pork and it came with rice and a spring roll and I chicken wing. The rice was okay. The bbq pork was so good. The chicken wing is a good wing but nothing really special. The orange chicken wasn't good. Maybe it was over cooked.

QUICKIE REVIEW Well seasoned catfish can be had here. It…read morejust hits different. FOOD This is what I tried: Catfish Po boy A taste of New Orleans in San Diego. This was my first introduction to a po boy and I have to say I was impressed. The season on that catfish was everything. Would definitely recommend. PARKING Nope, street parking. SERVICE Order at counter, pick up at counter. PRICE Around $20 TIP/OTHER THOUGHTS When I came, this was a one man show and a big family order was put in front of me. This backed things up for about 30 minutes. People were waiting in line just for him to take our order as he was cooking. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely.

First things first. Located inside the National City Public Market. You have to walk inside the…read moremarket to get to Smitty's. Orders are not taken on the phone. Order directly through their website link. If you are new to soul food or Louisiana rib style, then this eaterie would be good. If you are familiar with at least 5 styles barbecue and da real deal soul food, then the food and money value are not aligned. Actually, my one time may likely be unreturned. I was in a party of two but I should have just ordered one plate with two sides to give the food a taste test. Fifty bucks later, I'm a disappointed eater. I ordered pick up. It is apparent that all the food is pre-cooked and perhaps they have not mastered how to keep its freshness through the heat up process prior to serving. I was 6 minutes away. Hungry like a roaring lion on the African terrain. The inside of the ribs were cold. The other dishes were lukewarm. Although the ribs were tender and flavorful. The mac&cheese was mushy. A sharper cheese is recommended to blend. Or better yet a bechamel sauce and seasoning. Yet, I liked the texture of the pasta. You know how when beans get to the bottom of the pot and get mushy? Yep, that's what I was served. Mushy and dryish. But I can see where they were going and it would have worked out perhaps maybe just not on this visit. And the corn bread was so dry that it crumbled to smithereens. Now, greens are the easiest vegetable to make tasty, but an easy vegetable to make bland. These were on the bland side. I must be clear the meal was not Louisianian style. Being from Louisiana and cooking like a Louisianian are different. I'm just sayin'. Louisiana is known for flavor. And a ten on two. I know intimately what is expected from a Louisianian culinarian. Today was not that day. I want to support. And I will. But not fiscally. I'll get the word out but remember you're on your own. Since there's other eateries in the public market you may have a better cuisine choice. Service was with a smile and friendly.

The boneless chicken was so good! The flavors were delicious, we got one extra spicy and the other…read morenot so much. The ddeok-bokki was also super tasty, we added cheese to it and it was sooo cheesy! Definitely recommend you check this place out!

Second Review: Korean Fried Chicken Cravings complete. Pick…read moreup order through GrubHub. Golden Original Chicken (wings/8 pcs) - crispy, crackly, thin crust with juicy meat inside. 5/5 Rose's Ddeok-Bokki - chewy rice cakes and fish cakes smothered with deliciouslycheesy and creamy sauce. 5/5 Love the Korean restaurant vibes. Waited 10 mins for our order since we arrived early. Staff were nice and friendly. Highly recommended for Korean Fried Chicken and other popular Korean dishes.

Cute little place. The Cashier is always sweet and very helpful, answered all my questions. The…read morefood is delicious! Prices have stayed pretty reasonable for the last few years.

Possibly the BEST and ONLY (???) spot in National City that serves Buffalo Fries in a pizza box!!…read more The service is exceptional - swift and attentive. Situated conveniently in the corner, right beside Golden Donuts, you'll find the entrance on the right side, requiring a brief walk around. My usual visits coincide with having my cousins around, and when we yearn for something substantial, flavorful, and impressively sizable. The store is pretty small. Usually a pick up and to-go establishment but there are tables and chairs for you to sit and eat inside and outside. Opting for the largest pizza box (paid $36) allows for a delightful mix of up to two flavors, although we settled for just one - mango habanero! The fries were impeccably seasoned, wonderfully crispy, and pleasantly mild in spiciness, ranking at a comfortable 2/10 on the spice scale (in my opinion).

Garlic noodles were soooo good, added shrimp and mushrooms. Service was smooth, no issues or…read morehiccups. Restaurant is also very cute and aesthetic on the inside :)

The fusion menu is so good. The birria pho is the real star with super tender beef and a rich,…read moredeeply spiced broth that's total comfort food. Definitely don't skip the garlic noodles either; they're super savory, extra garlicky, and pair amazingly with the popcorn chicken, which comes out piping hot, crazy crispy, and perfectly seasoned. Friendly staff, quick service, and overall just great vibes. Will 100% be coming back!

Been awhile since I had been down here. The last few times in San Diego, I had been craving the…read moresalt and pepper wings from here, but didn't have time to come down to get them. That changed this trip. I went twice in the 4 days we were there! First night I got just an order of salt and pepper wings. $23.50 or so, and they hooked it up with about15 wings (says 13 to an order, but we got a couple more than that, I think). The wings were PERFECT! It was my Sons first time trying them. He instantly fell in love! We ate them outside and went to town. Cant get a better wing, anywhere. Large, crispy, salty, garlicky. Perfect wings! Second time there, I went with the lunch special for the salt and pepper wings. You get 10 wings, and a container of plain fried rice. Total was like $18.50. Once again, wings were bomb! I love scooping the garlic and green onions on top of the wings and biting in. Such a good bite! I love this place! Their other food is very good, too, but come for the salt and pepper wings...they are life altering, and the best wings anywhere.

So good! It's fast,…read morethe portions are large and the food is incredibly tasty! Get the beef chow fun. Nice sauce and noodles are chewy. Get the vegetarian fried rice. Nice use of mushrooms in this and the rice is nicely cooked. Get the sweet and sour fish fillet. Big portions and the fish is breaded but flakes nicely when you eat it. Get the salt and pepper chicken wings. FIRE. My cousin has a disability and I just want to thank the staff here for being so kind, patient and understanding to us as we had our meal. If I could give a hundred stars, I would. This place is a must go to for great Chinese food in San Diego.

Stopped by Bonchon National City for the $1 wings, and honestly, there's not much bad to say. They…read moredo Korean fried chicken really well--crispy, flavorful, and most importantly, consistent every time. Customer service was great. Our servers were attentive and checked on us throughout the meal, which I always appreciate. Overall, Bonchon continues to be one of my top spots for Korean fried chicken. Great wings, consistent flavor, and good service. Definitely recommend!

THE BEST!!! AND I MEAN THE BEST fried wings you'll ever have in your life. The spicy sauce they…read morecome with is extremely addicting! Consistent good food Consistent great service. The Asian manager or supervisor there deserves all the credit he gets Place is always clean Employees always hard working and kind! They even offer lunch specials!!! I mean this place does it all great work

I've been to the National City Epic Wings quite a few times this year because I love their wings…read moreand breadsticks. The bone in lemon pepper wings are so bomb because it retains that crunchy skin and I can dip it with the medium buffalo sauce. The mango habanero sauce is sweet, sticky and not too spicy. It's my favorite sauce that they have right now. The wings are always fried fresh and crispy. I love how I can grab a meal with hot breadsticks and a soda for under $15! That's a sweet deal! Something unique about Epic Wings is that: 1. they have white rice, which my Asian heart loves. 2. the breadsticks are so buttery, soft and fresh The staff here is always amazing! Shoutout to Monica S., Diego and Diego #2. The girls in the front are also always super sweet, friendly and have positive energy. Overall, 10/10 I would highly recommend!

I come here all the time to get my wings n things fix. They have the best breadsticks and ranch in…read moreall the land and their wings are sauuuuucy. I always order to-go and the top sauces are mild, honey bbq, and garlic Parmesan. The service is about standard for any fast food dining spot and it's always loud in here with families and teenagers dining in. It's not that bad if you wanna dine in, but I just take it to my home like 5 mins away.

I have nothing to complain about! I went during lunch, ordered online, and everything was ready…read morefresh and hot. Service was super nice, and my gosh! the fries were absolutely amazing! I crave Wingstop all the time, so I was really glad the food came out fresh. Plenty of seating inside and everything was super clean. Definitely a solid experience!

I want to be clear that this review reflects our recent to-go order, which may have been a…read moredifferent experience if we had dined in. I doubt the outcome would have been much different, but I want readers--especially those considering takeout or ordering through Uber Eats, GrubHub, or DoorDash--to have that context. What we ordered: 30-piece Mix & Match Crew Pack (10 Cajun wings, 10 Hot Honey wings, 10 Lemon Pepper boneless), all requested extra crispy/well done, carrot and celery sticks, three ranch dressings, a large seasoned fries, and a 5-piece fried corn add-on. The issues: Unfortunately, none of the food arrived hot, and none of the 30 wings or boneless pieces were cooked extra crispy as requested. The fries were placed loosely in the large to-go bag in an uncovered paper tray, which could have easily spilled during transport. The carrot and celery sticks were simply wrapped in a napkin and placed in the bag in the same open tray as the fries. The fried corn also didn't taste fresh. I'm not suggesting it wasn't freshly made--only that it didn't taste like it had just been fried. The main reason for this review is the value for the price. The total came to $68, and the overall quality and packaging didn't feel close to worth that amount. For comparison, we could have ordered a similar quantity of food from Panda Express for around $52, or from Epic Wings or Buffalo Wild Wings. They might be similarly priced--or even slightly more--but I would have gladly paid $70-$80 if the food tasted fresh and the order had been packaged with more care. Those dining in may have a somewhat better experience than we did with takeout. However, based on the average Yelp rating for this location, we're not convinced that would be the case.